Sharon is the founder and owner of the Willow Pond Ranch Foundation. She has worked rescuing, rehabilitating, and training horses for the past 20 years. Sharon is an EAGALA II certified equine guided educator and has worked with companies such as Apple, Above the Line, Youth Services, the County of Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Therapist's Association.
With co-facilitator, Jenny Silber Butah, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Sharon is one of Northern California's pioneers of equine facilitated experiential learning and therapy (EFELT). EFELT is an experiential approach wherein the horse, the horse expert, and the psychotherapist help individuals, families, and at-risk youth to develop self-awareness, examine fears, break out of patterns of abuse and violence, and get in touch with their highest dreams. Horses and humans working together open the door to self-discovery, personal empowerment, improved communication, and an opportunity for developing accountability. EFELT has been instrumental in helping clients develop greater self-esteem and create processes for anger management and conflict resolution.
Sharon is also an accomplished dressage rider, riding and showing Leandro, her 13 year old, 17-hand (for you non horsey folks, that's big!) FEI (Fèderation Equestre Internationale) certified Dutch warmblood gelding.
650.868.3379
